Umbrella
by erensjunk
Summary: Eren and Levi fall in love by meeting at the bus stop every day after an odd first encounter with an umbrella.


**Warnings:** Age gap, Levi's excessive swearing.

**Rating:** T, possibly M later.

* * *

**Week One **

Rain pelted Eren like an eighth grade bully, having no mercy on the school notes he clutched to his chest or his hair, which sat in it's original messy state. His hair could be salvaged, of course, and he didn't mind if it looked ridiculous—it was the bus station for crying out loud, as if he's going to meet someone _here_ that he wants to impress. He was, however, worried about his papers. The text on them was already thickening into a blurry blue hue and the paper was becoming transparent from harsh and heavy rain drops. If he quickened his pace, he could get to the bus stop on time and shove them into his bag for safety.

It was Monday afternoon, and a dreary one at that. The brunet boy had finished his psychology class not long ago and seeing as it was only the beginning of the week, he was eager to arrive home and climb into bed to catch up on lost hours during the weekend. He told himself every Friday that he would get a suitable amount of sleep during his two-day break, but he never did. Why sleep when you could be doing something counter-productive and pointless?

The threat of thunder quickened his legs and he hugged his work tighter, grunting in dissatisfaction when the bus stop was busier than he was used to. All of the seats were taken and so was the space underneath the shelter. He'd hoped to store his notes away in a dry area, but it didn't look like there was one. Why did the world always work against him on Mondays? Why?

Kneeling down beside the station instead, he ignored the impulse to grimace at the wetness seeping through the knee of his jeans and slid his bag down his arm, glancing up to make sure the bus wasn't arriving yet. It was difficult to open his bag with one hand, but he managed, ripping the zip to the side in momentary irritation. His fingers were so cold they were beginning to stiffen and curling them was near agony, so he hauled out a glossy black folder and lowered his notes into it, not risking any more time to make sure they were in the right order or even in a laminated pocket. Rain dripped from his hair onto his face as he slid the folder back into his bag, the action loosening a tight knot in his chest. Now that he didn't need to worry about his work, his heart seemed to calm a little and he touched his hair instead to see how damaged it was, his priority changing. It was so soaked he had rain residue on his fingers when he pulled away.

Finally getting up from the unpleasant damp ground, he averted his eyes to the road to watch for the bus, an embarrassing yelp escaping from his lungs when his head hit something icy and his hair was tugged.

"Would've helped if you'd looked, moron." Came an edgy voice from his side. When he opened his eyes from wincing to look, he was both touched and annoyed at the umbrella covering his head. He hadn't even noticed that the rain was no longer hitting his face. He continued rubbing the sore spot and swallowed any apology he'd been about to throw at the man.

"Would've helped if you were taller," was the automatic and regrettable comment out of his own mouth.

Though the stranger's eyes had been careless a moment before, a flash of fury erupted in the pools of grey and paired with the raised eyebrow, Eren tried to shrink into the drenched pavement. "What was that?" His voice was curt and crisp, yet somehow still monotonous.

The knot returned, carving shame into his chest. "N-nothing! I didn't say anything."

"Good. Let's keep it that way." Despite Eren's rudeness, the stranger kept his umbrella above his head, a little higher but still low enough that he had to hunch to protect his hair from being grabbed by the metal frame again. As he tried to slip back into normality, he took in the male's appearance, regret stabbing his stomach when he found him attractive. He wasn't a predictable kind of pretty, but he was alluring, with stormy eyes that won any competition when compared to the clouds above them and small, proportionate features. The black head of hair gave off a precise and sharp aura and Eren realised, with a spontaneous pang of desire in his belly, that there was _absolutely_ someone at the bus stop he wanted to impress.

"Would you like a picture, jackass?" The elder asked him, meeting his gaze. Despite his name-calling, he didn't sound vicious.

"N-no!" Eren grappled for an excuse. "I just don't think I've ever seen you take this bus before, that's all." He said in one breath. He dragged a palm across his head, trying to make his hair look at least half-presentable.

"My train was cancelled because of this shitty-ass weather." He gave the murky sky a glare.

"Oh." _So it's not going to become a regular thing then. _Eren pointed his finger upwards to the black shadow around them. "Well… thanks for letting me share your umbrella, anyways… um… what do I call you?"

"Levi."

"Right… thanks, Levi. My name's Eren." He gave a smile, but Levi's head was forward, paying attention to the road instead of him.

"I already know that, Jaeger."

"What?" The brunet's eyes widened. How could he already know this guy? He would remember that face anywhere. "How?"

He received a fruitless glower. "I'm psychic."

"Serious—?"

"No, you dumbass," Levi spat as if he had been waiting for that exact response. "It was at the top of your notes."

"Oh," he said again, turning away as the bus pulled up to the kerb and sunk in an aggressive huff. Eren got on first as Levi retracted the umbrella into a smaller size and slid it into his deep coat pocket. He flashed his bus pass at the driver who only glimpsed at it because he knew Eren so well and sat near the back of the bus at the window, leaving the aisle seat free as a bold invitation that Levi could sit next to him if he wanted to. It wasn't guaranteed that anything would happen, but that didn't mean he couldn't try.

Eren's heart thumped in his chest as he observed Levi walking towards him, but he told himself not to get his hopes up. There were at least four free seats behind him, and why should Levi sit next to him anyways? Because of one conversation? It probably didn't mean as much to Levi as it did to him.

He shouldn't have assumed that.

Levi wrapped the sleeve of his coat around his hand as he spun into the seat beside Eren, shifting until he was comfortable and then crossing his right leg over his left. He brought his phone out from his pocket and began touching the screen, leaving Eren's eyes to travel down his figure unnoticed.

He licked his lips at muscular legs in dark tight jeans and a slim waist underneath a white shirt.

"If you don't want company, I'll move."

"Huh?" Eren's eyes stalled and retreated to his face. "No! I don't mind company! Honestly, it's okay. In fact I kinda like it. I don't usually have company on the bus."

"Alright, don't shit yourself." He placed his phone back into his pocket and kept his hand there. "I wasn't going to move even if you didn't want company."

"Then why'd you ask?"

"To be polite. I knew you'd say no, anyways."

"Because you're psychic?" Eren half-smiled at him, teasing.

"No, because you're a teenage brat who hasn't seen enough of the horrible in the world to want to say no to people yet." Although that answer was delivered in a logical tone, it was also wise, reminding Eren of the clear age gap between the two. It couldn't have been by much, though. A few years, he estimated.

"How do you know I'm a teenager? I could be in my twenties for all you know." He decided to try and catch him out.

"Because you just asked me that question. And you positively reek of hormonal imbalance."

The brunet's eyes widened. "Oh my God, I'm sweating? Shit." He pulled aside the chest of his jumper to smell at under his arm.

"Jesus Christ, no," Levi looked away from him, disgust plastered on his face. "I didn't mean literally, fucktruck. If you keep embarrassing yourself I'm moving seat."

"Thank God," he relaxed in his chair, watching as Levi brought out his phone again and began tapping it. "Embarrassing myself isn't going to stop anytime soon, though. Like you said, I'm still a teenager." He responded honestly.

"I don't think embarrassing yourself has anything to do with your age." Levi quipped, folding his arms.

A smirk crossed Eren's face. "Are you telling me that most of _your _most embarrassing moments _didn't _happen when you were a teenager?" Someone as pristine-looking as Levi didn't come without a history that made him that way.

"No, they happened when I was a child."

"How boring," the brunet pouted, miffed that it appeared Levi was immaculate by nature.

Levi shrugged. "I made no promises to be your entertainment, dipshit."

The brunet was quiet after that, shifting from looking out the window to looking at the man beside him. He was rather content in silence, but then he remembered their time was limited. It encouraged him to ask where Levi's stop was.

"You better not be a stalker." He warned, and Eren gave an urgent shake of his head. "Just before the bus terminates, near Trost."

Eren bobbed his head. "I get off at Rose Street."

Levi shot him a scowl. "I hope you don't tell everyone where you live when you first meet them. Don't you have any sense, kid?"

Eren scrunched up his nose. "Who's gonna wanna kidnap me? They'd give me back within half an hour."

"I don't blame them," Levi snorted, then continued. "Kidnapping isn't the only crime that goes on in the world, dumbass."

"Alright, alright," Eren rolled his eyes. "It's not like I tell everyone where my street is, I just told you. And for the record, if anyone tried to perform a crime against me, I'd kick their ass." He stubbornly crossed his arms and pressed his lips together tightly.

"It's that kind of big mouth that would get you in trouble."

Although he could see Levi's sense, he still felt confident in his own self-defense tactics. "It's okay, I'm used to being underestimated anyways."

Levi turned to study him. His face said that he hadn't expected such a response, but his mouth said: "Get used to it. It only happens more when you're an adult."

"Seriously?"

"Yeah."

"Damn it," he said under his breath. He guessed he wouldn't mind if that was the case—just more people to prove wrong, then. "Just wondering… how much of an adult are you?"

"What the fuck kind of question is that?"

"I-I mean how old are you? Sorry, that just came out wrong." He grit his teeth together behind his lips as if it would lessen the crimson developing across his jaw.

Levi rolled his eyes. "Thirty one."

"Wait, what?" Eren blinked, the comment slipping out before he could stop it. He had to be joking. He didn't look a day past twenty five! Was he joking again, like the psychic comment? Or was he telling the truth? _Or, _Eren's paranoia butted in, _was he making himself seem older because he knew Eren was kinda into him? _

"S-sorry," Eren stuttered at Levi's raised eyebrow. "You just—look a lot younger… is all… kind of surprised me."

Levi looked away. "Are you gonna share your age with me, fuckface?"

"I—Uh—Nineteen," his mind was still reeling at the thought of Levi being in his thirties. His early thirties, yes, but thirties no less. "I'm twenty in March." He added, as if that would somehow throw a blanket over his teenager-ness and make Levi more interested. What thirty year old man would be into a nineteen year old anyways?

"Do you share all of your personal information with everyone who sits next to you on the bus?" Levi questioned. "But that's improvement, I guess. I thought you were seventeen."

Eren smiled a bit. "See? Everyone always underestimates me."

"Hn." Levi's hum was one of acknowledgement.

"So, where do you work then?" He tried to keep the elder talking, recognising the streets they were winding around as close to his house.

"Smith and CO. You better not show up at my work."

"I won't!" Eren promised. "But really? You work there?" It made sense when he took in Levi's attire. Casual-smart, it looked like, which either meant he was very, very high up in the company or they'd had a non-uniform day.

"Yes. I'm their head design engineer."

"Wow," The brunet murmured, the sound so quiet he could've been mistaken for mouthing it. So Levi was, like, a pretty important part of their structure then. "Have you always worked there?"

"Why are you so curious?" Levi asked, staring straight forward. His phone buzzed somewhere deep in his pocket, but he made no move to answer it, arms still folded on his chest.

"Sorry, it's a curse." Eren apologised. "Like I said, I don't get company on the bus much."

"All of your friends live far away from you?"

A smirk tugged at Eren's lips. "Now who's the curious one?"

Levi's expression darkened again. "Still you, bastard. You've been asking questions the entire ride."

"Not true!" When Levi turned his head to look at him, he smirked again. "My parents were married before they had me."

"That's nice, brat, but we don't have time for your entire fucking life story, thank God. This is your stop."

"What?" Eren asked, uncomprehending until he looked out of the window and saw the sign marking 'Rose Street'. "Shit!" He shot up and grabbed his bag, uncrossing Levi's legs as he stumbled by them. "Sorry, I—I need to go, this is my stop. I'll see you later, yeah?" He only looked back once as he scrambled off the bus, near enough twisting his ankle on the last step. He waved at Levi as he turned, but only received a somewhat amused expression in response before the bus drove off and he was left alone with his thoughts. In silence, he stood preoccupied, going over how such a strange encounter could make him feel so good.

Trying to keep the smile off of his face as he entered his house proved damn near impossible.

"What are you grinning about?" His mother asked with an air of affection, catching Mikasa's attention too. She looked up from the newspaper she was reading and he felt his face grow warm.

"Nothing!" He insisted. His mom only chuckled and went back to preparing dinner, but Mikasa's expression deepened and he could tell she noticed the blush. "Nothing, okay?" He emphasised to get her off his back. He dropped his bag to the floor and headed upstairs. "I'm going for a shower."

"Don't be long, I'm making dinner." His mom called up. He shouted a quick reassurance back at her before the slam of the bathroom door resonated throughout the house.

During dinner, he bit the insides of his cheeks to keep a straight face, his abdomen inflamed and his heartbeat quicker than usual. The less he smiled and acted like it was a normal day, the less questions his mom and Mikasa would ask him. Thoughts of Levi continued to engulf his mind for the rest of the night, making him unable to focus on homework and avid for another conversation with the man. Even though he'd only taken the bus because of a temporary train cancellation, he was still hopeful he'd see him again sometime soon. Despite the weather's unreliability, Eren found he was putting all of his faith into it being murderous again tomorrow on the off-chance that Levi's train would be cancelled once more and they could converse again. It was even difficult to sleep that night, but once he'd managed to bump into a dream, it was full of grey eyes and crossed legs.

* * *

The next day, Eren's mood was spun upside down. Levi wasn't at the bus shelter, slicing away half of his hope and forcing him to endure a boring bus ride on his own. The large smile that had been present yesterday had dissipated, leaving him with cracked lips in a straight line. But at least Mikasa and his mom weren't asking questions.

Half way through the day, he'd decided this was for the best. If Levi wasn't around, then he wasn't distracted in class, thinking of the male's infinitesimal expressions and his lean body. A quarter of the day later, he'd decided this absolutely wasn't for the best. Now as well as thinking of his appearance and lack of communication, he was wondering what the hell he did wrong. The logical part of his mind intervened and told him he'd done nothing wrong—Levi took the train to work, and clearly the train was working again—but the insecure teenage boy inside of him was incessantly wondering what question it was that had crossed the line for the older man.

In bed that night, he'd full convinced himself that he was the problem. The last thread of hope he'd been theorising over all day finally frayed and melted away.

* * *

When Wednesday afternoon came, the weather had worsened again to a storm that prompted him to leave university early just so he could get a spot under the bus shelter this time. He relied on his phone to swallow all of his focus, playing a game that required a time limit and gave him enough motivation to continuously try to beat his high score. All thoughts of Levi were removed, though only momentarily. After every stats board, he spaced out for a moment and reprimanded himself: Levi was a thirty-one year old man with his own life, he should _not _be this attached to someone he'd only had one conversation with, and if he could kept his mind occupied, this little fad would be over soon. It was just hormones.

He hit the button to create another new game, stretching his fingers as the clock counted down to it beginning. He moved faster this time, determined to get double his high score at least by blocking out any distractions. The gossiping group of girls beside him were ignored, and so was the dog panting up at him. He didn't even stop when someone sat down next to him. It should've been easy to surpass the top score anyways, especially since there were glitches.

_Key words: Should've been. _

"Difficult game?"

"Jesus fuck!" He and his heart simultaneously jumped. He looked back down at his hand to make sure his phone was still there and that it hadn't been launched into the air when he'd gotten a fright. Cunning grey eyes stared back at him with a somewhat playful aura, despite Levi's face being completely deadpan. His heart flipped again. "A-ah, it's you again!" He dug his fingernails into the back of his neck and scratched like it would remove his impulsive blush.

"How observant of you." He was dressed near enough the same as the other day—casual black jeans and a suitable work shirt. The umbrella they'd shared two days ago was by his side.

"Was your train cancelled again?" He questioned. _Or did you feel what I felt and couldn't resist me too? _

"Wow, you developed more than two brain cells over Tuesday, well done." His voice leaked the kind of sarcasm Eren had dreamed about on the first night.

"How was your day?" He asked politely, finally abandoning his goal and moving his phone back into his pocket.

He'd expected more sarcasm, but to his delight Levi actually answered the question. "Fucking terrible. Not only is the weather currently sucking ass, but my co-workers have no idea what to do with themselves when I leave them for a two-hour meeting. When I came back, both vending machines were completely empty, there were games of solitaire on at least eight fucking laptops, and one of them was hiding under their table while another sprinkled a fuckload of hole punching pieces all over the place. Filthy animals."

Eren raised his eyebrows. "Did you make them clean it up?"

"Yes, but of course they did a shitty-ass job that rivaled a four-year-old's, so I had to stay behind and clean it myself."

"Shit," Eren murmured. "Did you find out who emptied the vending machines?"

Levi snorted. "Of course I did. It was Sasha—puts the guy on Man vs. Food to shame, that girl does."

"Ha ha." Eren chuckled. "I like girls who can eat."

"Well, what the fuck are they supposed to do?" Levi sent him a look. "Starve?"

"N-no! I just like it when girls don't follow society's rules," he shrugged. "Mikasa eats like a horse, too. She's my sister, by the way."

"Right. I almost forgot you're a little shit who takes enjoyment out of sharing every detail of your life."

"You know, you could give me some details about your life instead today." Eren offered, cringing a little. "I know I talked… a lot the other day, probably."

Levi shrugged one shoulder lethargically. "More than I'm used to on public transport, anyways."

"Do you have any brothers or sisters?" Eren started.

"No."

"Okay… and did you like that? Having no siblings?"

"I don't care." And he truly sounded like he didn't, Eren noted.

"Hm," the brunet hummed. "I can't imagine my life without Mikasa. Even though she's not my biological sister. I hated being an only child before her."

"Didn't you get less attention from your parents after she came along?" Levi queried in a knowing voice, although Eren wondered why that was, because his answer to that question was no.

"Nope. My mom is really affectionate. So is my dad is when we get to see him."

He nodded his head once before the bus arrived. The same thing happened as on Monday; Eren found a seat and left the aisle one empty as an invitation for Levi while he paid. It was one further up than last time's.

"What are your parents like?" Eren asked when the bus had started moving.

"Long story for another time," Levi answered. The words 'another time' echoed throughout Eren's brain delectably, alighting something warm in his stomach that hadn't been there previously. Still, he left the subject alone, since clearly it was out of bounds.

"Oh, okay." He stayed quiet, thinking of something he'd shared yesterday that Levi hadn't and could share now instead. He didn't realise he'd sounded dejected until Levi sighed softly and overlapped his hands on his right thigh, opening his mouth instead.

"What do you study at university, moron?"

He perked up a bit. At least he was trying. "Psychology! I'm in my second year. I actually really like it."

"What do you hope do to with it? Become a psychiatrist?"

"No, a psychologist," he corrected. "Psychiatrists have degrees in medicinal stuff too and that's too much effort for me."

Levi grunted. "You want to sit and listen to people's problems all day?"

"Yeah," Eren shrugged a bit. "Well, I don't know. But I like helping people. And my dad is a doctor, so he can help me with a bunch of the stuff."

"You'll probably be good at it," Levi startled him by complimenting. "You talk and listen enough."

"Thanks!" He grinned widely. "A lot of people tell me I'll be good at it, but mostly just my family and friends. It's cool to meet someone unbiased who'll tell me that."

"Don't get used to it, dipshit. I don't exactly dish out the compliments."

His beam curved into a smaller smile. "Still, thanks. That makes it even better, actually. If you don't usually compliment. Anyways, what did you study in university?"

"Technological studies."

"And did you like it?"

"No, I just did it for shits and giggles." Levi rolled his eyes.

"That's why I did psychology. But then I actually started to like it." Eren informed, thinking back to the days where he'd been scared shitless over what to do with his life. They were full of sleepless nights and so much procrastination he was surprised he was even in university right now.

"I'm not even surprised," Levi responded. "Only an idiot like you would do something so irresponsible."

"Jokes on you, my friend Jean did the exact same thing. Except he hated Physics and decided to apply to become a police officer instead."

"Remind me never to call 911." He muttered.

Eren snickered. "He's good at things when he concentrates, I guess. Doesn't make him any less of an asshole, though."

"Weren't you just calling this asshole a friend? Make up your mind, fucktard."

"And what?" Eren replied. "Are you telling me none of your friends are assholes? He wants to bone my sister too, he's automatically an asshole."

Levi's small nose scrunched up ever so slightly. "Thanks for that visual, brat. And as for your question, of course my friends are assholes. Most people are."

"Yeah," Eren chuckled. "And then there are sweet people that you need to protect from the assholes."

"Yeah, no. I don't have one of those friends."

"I do. Armin. … And maybe Christa, too. But Ymir usually takes care of her, so it's fine. But really? You don't have a friend that you should just roll up in a blanket and sit in front of a Disney movie?"

Levi's eyebrows furrowed, turning his expression into one of 'are you fucking serious?' "Just how old do you think my friends are, fuckwit?"

"Oh come on, one of them has to be a child at heart."

Levi rolled his eyes again. "Child at heart, yes. Disney movies, no."

"Pft," Eren blew through his lips. "I bet one of them watches Disney movies. And it'll be the one you least expect, too." He grinned.

The elder's lips tugged up for a second before re-enacting his poker face. "The image of Erwin Smith watching Disney movies is rather entertaining."

Eren could've spat. "I know him! Well, my dad does, but still," he chuckled quietly. "It's probably him, if he has kids."

"He doesn't have any children, so it's not him. To satisfy your curiosity, it's probably Sasha, but she's a co-worker, not a friend."

"I'm really starting to like the sound of this Sasha girl," Eren murmured.

"You'll be perfect for each other, she's a moron too."

"Is everyone just a moron to you?"

"Almost."

Eren was somewhat surprised. "There's someone who _isn't?_"

"There are several people who aren't. Stop assuming, kid."

"It's hard when you've called me a moron at least three times and we've only known each other for two days." He squinted, trying to remember exactly how many times the word 'moron' had been directed at him. Even excluding Levi, it was a pretty high number.

"Cut me some slack, I'm foul-mouthed."

"At least you admit it, I guess. But I uh… doubt I'd be into Sasha, anyways." His chuckle became uneven with nerves.

"What is it? Don't trust women? Asexual? Have a specific type?" Levi pondered aloud.

Eren cleared his throat. "Yeah, men." He revealed in a quiet and sarcastic tone, turning to meet Levi's gaze as he regarded him with what Eren believed was a look of contemplation. It lasted just a little too long.

"What?" Eren asked after a moment. "Don't tell me now that you're homophobic or something."

"Quite the opposite, actually. What did I tell you about assumptions, shit-for-brains?"

"Wait, what? What do you mean 'the opposite'?" Eren's heart jump started into an enthusiastic melody.

"Another time. This is your stop," he nodded to the road up ahead, his expression smug without smirking. It was the half-lidded eyes, Eren thought. They did something to his brain that he just couldn't comprehend.

He stood up from the seat slowly, rather reluctantly, and slipped by Levi's crossed legs. The graze against the back of his knees was enough to set his abdomen on fire again. He held onto the bar as the bus slowed to a stop, turning to say goodbye. "See you again… sometime." _I hope. _

Levi nodded once. "Goodbye, Eren."

Eren decided he certainly loved the way his name fell out of Levi's mouth.

* * *

******A/N: **I moved Eren's age up to 19 because I'm not as talented as other Ereri writers (seriously how are you all so amazing), and writing an underage relationship would be awkward for me. Also, I'm relatively new to the SNK fandom so forgive me if anyone is OOC or if I miss out anything major about characterisation. This fic shouldn't be very long, only around 5 or so chapters, but I hope you enjoy it anyway.


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